


Talks With Twilight

by Zaypay



Series: Adventure Across Lifetimes [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Overload, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Lots of Crying, Mentions of Death, Mentions of War, Therapy, Twilight (Linked Universe)-centric, but its only 4+1, im bad at tagging, twilight is everyones therapist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27456739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaypay/pseuds/Zaypay
Summary: Sometimes, even heroes need someone to talk to. It just happens to be Twilight for a lot of them.OR4 times Twilight was everyone's therapist, and one time he wasn't
Relationships: Legend & Twilight (Linked Universe), Sky & Twilight (Linked Universe), Time & Twilight (Linked Universe), Twilight & Hyrule, Twilight & Warriors, Twilight & everyone
Series: Adventure Across Lifetimes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005027
Comments: 12
Kudos: 186





	1. Homesick

**Author's Note:**

> This series doesn't discuss or include topics that would merit an archive to trigger warning, but it is heavy, so read at your own risk.

“I miss home,” Sky said as he stared out over the Great Sea. They’d been in Wind’s Hyrule for a few days, killing monsters and having fun on the beach. Despite that, Twilight could tell Sky was becoming increasingly antsy and restless, a trait usually associated with Hyrule or Wild. 

“I’m sure we’ll go there soon, Sky,” Twilight said optimistically, trying to help his friend. He gave Twilight a look so full of sadness and hope that it nearly broke his heart in two. He smiled sleepily before leaning his head into his hands heavily and closing his eyes.

“I hope your right.”

Twilight watched him sleep and looked out the window. Wild was getting ready to jump from a nearby cliff into the sea as Time ran after him. Wind, Warriors, and Legend laughed, while Hyrule looked between the two running forms nervously and Four sunbathed. He grinned at the sight, not wanting to go out on the beach because of his hatred of sand. He turned his gaze back to Sky and pushed a lock of hair out of his sleeping face. He hoped, for Sky’s sake, that they’d visit his Hyrule soon.

━━━O━━━

The group cut through the thick jungle vines, wiping sweat from their foreheads as they continued their never-ending trek. Wild had promised they’d reach a stable by the afternoon, but the tiring forms of the heroes and their lack of mobility made the journey much longer.

“5 more minutes guys, we’re almost there,” he called out as he readjusted his circlet. The humidity was overwhelming, and Twilight could barely breathe with the heat. He had to take off his fur pelt and ask Wild to store it for him. He heard ragged panting behind him and turned to see Sky, trying to catch his breath against a tree.

“How ya holdin’ up?” He asked him. Sky shook his head and swallowed hard.

“Not good. I feel like I can’t breathe.”

Twilight rubbed his hand against his forehead. “I hear ya’, but we’re so close. Do you think you can make it?”

Sky shuddered as he took another deep breath. His eyes met Twilight’s, and he noticed the older hero was unusually pale and had a slight green tinge to his skin that wasn’t coming from the surrounding foliage. 

“I’ll try,” he said, pushing himself up and walking slowly besides Twilight.

They reached the stables after about 10 minutes of walking, and most of them went to sleep. Twilight volunteered to take first watch, as he always did, despite Wild’s claims that monsters never attacked stables. He didn’t feel safe in this region, Faron, as the Sheikah Slate dubbed it, and he hated how cramped he felt, despite being outside. 

He sat outside the stable, sitting far from the fire so as not to get any hotter than he already was when he heard footsteps approaching from behind him. He turned and saw Sky approaching, keeping his eyes down as he walked forward. He took a seat beside Twilight and looked up to the stars that were mostly covered by the tree leaves.

“I hate being here,” he stated. Twilight nodded in agreement but stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. “I hate not being able to see the sky. I miss it.”

Twilight followed his gaze and traced made up constellations in the night sky.

“When I was on Skyloft, I used to spend almost every night outside, staring at the stars. There was never a cloudy day or storms to speak of. Everything was just so...” he stopped and turned his attention to the fire. “Familiar. Sure, it was far from perfect. I’d always longed to explore beyond the island, for something greater, but I’d be damned if I didn’t admit I enjoyed the familiarity of waking up in the same bed every day. Zelda and I would spend hours pulling pranks, having fun, or just talking. About everything and anything.”

Sky fell silent as he watched the fire dance and Twilight processed everything he said, running a hand through his hair.

“I felt the same way when I was in Ordon, before my adventure,” Twilight said, taking his turn staring at the fire while Sky turned his eyes to him. “I loved everything about it and found very little faults with the village. But when I came back, it was different. The village was the same, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t stay still for very long, and I always felt...”

“Guilty,” Sky finished for him. Twilight nodded.

“Yea, like there was something bigger for me to be doing. I always felt bad if I stayed for too long, so I’d cut my visits short. First, it was a month, then a few weeks, then a few days. Before long, I’d only visit for a couple of hours before the feeling came back and I’d have to go.”

Sky didn’t turn away when Twilight looked at him. Their gazes locked and Sky spoke.

“I...” he hesitated and inhaled before continuing. “I feel the same. Of course, I haven’t been to Skyloft since the end of my adventure, when everyone moved to the surface. But I have the same feeling. 

“When I look up at the clouds and see the distant shape of the island, I feel it building in my chest and it grows larger when I listen to the stories the children are taught about our old home. When I hear the former residents compare life on the surface to back up in the sky. When Zelda tries to talk about my adventure and I just can’t. Every time I mention my home, how much I miss it, anything about my adventure, I feel the painful lump of guilt get bigger, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

Sky’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I can’t even look at you guys without feeling sick. I feel like everything I’ve done to protect everyone only resulted in more pain. Everything I do only makes things worse. First, it was Zelda, then moving to the surface, then learning about you guys and how the curse messed things up for you. I can’t do anything right, and I feel horrible for even being homesick. I don’t have the right to feel this way. I- I can’t-“

Sky sobbed, and Twilight pulled him into an embrace. He felt his tunic wet with his friend's tears and bit his lip to keep his own from falling. Sky shook with every soft sob he let out, and Twilight hugged him a little tighter every time. He looked up to the sky to push back tears. He didn't have the same disdain for the goddess that Time and Legend had, but at that moment, he mentally cursed her as many times as he could.

Sky’s cries stopped and his breathing began to even out. He pulled away from Twilight and rubbed his eyes. Twilight put his hand on top of his friend’s.

“Sky, you’re the furthest thing from a failure anyone can get.” He waited for Sky to raise his head and meet his gaze before he continued. “You’re not invincible. You’re not a god. You may be the first Hero, but you’re still a person, and it’s ok to feel the way you do. 

“When I first came back from my adventure, I felt the same way. I’d lost the only friend I felt could understand me after everything I went through and had to go back home. The kids still had nightmares about being kidnapped, and that made me feel even worse. I tried to bottle away the feelings, thinking I wasn’t allowed to have them because I failed to protect everyone. But you know what got me through it all?”

Sky’s eyes widened and he shook his head childishly. It warmed Twilight’s heart just a bit. He gave him a small grin.

“You guys. When I first met everyone, I didn’t think they’d get what happened to me. Yea, we might all be heroes, but everyone’s experiences are different. But they did. You all did. You helped me realize I’m not alone, that I didn't make the wrong choices or mess up. That, while I might be hurting sometimes or struggling, others are too, and I’m not any different or less for it.”

Sky’s hands trembled just as much as his voice when he spoke. “B- but it-it’s my fault you- you guys had to be heroes. If I was better or-“ Twilight put a finger up to stop him.

“Sky, you fought against a literal demon, spoke with spirits, and forged the Master Sword itself. As I said, you’re the furthest thing from a failure. Honestly, I kind of look up to you.” Twilight turned red and scratched his head with his last sentence. Sky blinked at him in shock.

“Don’t lie to me,” Sky mumbled, some of the guilt that shaped his face melted into a bit of bashful pride. Twilight brushed aside his embarrassment and continued his praise.

“It’s true! I mean, your musical skills are incredible. No one can outplay you on the harp. But I’ve never seen anyone be able to carry that many pumpkins! How do you even stack them that high?” Sky let out a burst of musical laughter, a sound which had become far too scarce as of late. Twilight’s smile widened as he continued his ode to the Hero of the Skies.

━━━O━━━

“I miss home,” Sky said nostalgically as he sat by the edge of the platform. He sighed and leaned back. Twilight shot him a look of concern that got a small giggle out of the hero.

“I’m alright, this just reminds me of where I’d jump off the island to get caught by my loftwing. Well except the one time I almost didn’t.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow and stretched, looking at the mountains in the distance. 

“You think we’ll go there soon? I’m dying to see what the original Hyrule was like,” Twilight asked playfully. Sky hummed sweetly before responding.

“Maybe. I hope so. I miss everyone, and I think you guys would love it there. Especially Wild, there’s a lot to explore.” Twilight groaned.

“Please don’t let him get into anything when we do go. We won’t be able to find him for weeks if you do.” Sky laughed.

“I’ll try.” 

Twilight helped him up and they began walking back up the steps to meet with the Rito village chief. Sky stopped to take one last look at the view, flashing it a small grin before leaving.

He couldn’t wait to be home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's the first chapter! I'm not used to writing such heavy works, but I love reading them so I tried my best! Hope you enjoyed it!


	2. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did delete this chapter by accident, so here’s a reupload.  
> Warning for vague mentions of childbirth

They arrived in Time’s Hyrule in the middle of winter. The snow was piled up in a heavy blanket, smothering the ground in whiteness. The boys trekked through the snow, taking large steps to try and make their way through Hyrule Field and to the ranch. Legend cursed the entire time, refusing to don pants, while Wild distributed elixirs and gear to keep everyone as warm as possible. Twilight watched his breath puf in the cold air and marveled at it. Time watched him with a warm smile.

“Never seen winter before, pup?” He asked playfully. Twilight shot him a glare.

“Not in Ordon. It stays relatively hot all year long, so I’ve only ever seen snow on the mountain, and I’d prefer not to think about that.”

“Fair enough.”

They finally reached the ranch and deposited their items in the barn before making their way to the main house where a very pregnant Malon was helping Wild cook. They sat around the table, engaging in separate conversations about asinine topics when Twilight noticed Time’s meandering gaze.

“Something wrong?” Twilight asked. Time shook his head, leaned back, and combed his hair with his hand.

“I’m worried about Malon.”

“Why?” Twilight suddenly grew concerned that there may be a complication with her pregnancy or a sickness. Time shot him a relaxed grin that melted his fears.

“I’m just... the baby is going to come any day now, and I honestly don’t know what to expect.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “So why are you worried about Malon then?” Time looked down sheepishly at his mug of warm milk.

“I’m more worried about myself. I just used Malon as a cover.” Twilight bit back a chuckle at the statement.

“Then what’s eating at ya?”

Time exhaled, looking much older than what the rest of the group estimated his age to be. “Like I said, I don’t know what to expect. I’ve never really had a family before. I grew up with a race of eternal 10 year olds after all. The last thing on my mind was raising a family.”

Twilight nodded. “Do you think you’ll be a bad dad?”

Time froze at the bluntness of the statement. He considered it for a moment. “I don’t know. Of course, I’ll try my best, but what if my best isn’t enough? How do I know what’s enough?” He chuckled darkly. “Why am I laying my fears of the future on you, anyway? Your only 21, I think having and raising kids is the last thing for you to start worrying about.”

“It’s alright, everyone needs someone to talk to. I’m glad you chose me.” He smiled at the old man. “And I do know a fair bit about raising kids. I practically raised half the children in my village after all. You might even consider me an expert.

Anyway, as for you being a bad dad, there’s no way in hell you could be. Your far to overprotective of us for you to be anything less than the best. Trust me, I know from experience.”

Time’s mood did not brighten despite Twilight’s attempts at comedy. “But I can barely help you boys when your feeling off. How am I supposed to help my kid when I can’t even help myself and my eight other incarnations from emotional problems?”

Twilight gave him a funny look. “Time, unless you can change the goddess’s mind, there’s nothing you could’ve done to stop us from going on our journeys, so there’s no way for you to put an end to the nightmares some of us have. But growing emotionally is part of getting older and wiser. You may tick those boxes around us, but your not even close to being an old man, no matter how much we tease you. As long as your alive, you’ll keep learning and you’ll be able to help your child when they need you the most.”

Time held his gaze with Twilight as Wild served the food. He closed his eye, deep in thought, before opening it again and looking down.

“I suppose your right. I just can’t help but worry.” He stuck his fork into his steak. “I think I’ll need help.”

“And you’ll have it.” Twilight pointed to his ring. “You’ve got the best wife in the world, and eight young boys to help ya out. Your not alone, Time. You never were and never will be.” He shot the older hero a smile. “And I know you’ll be a great dad. If you weren’t, I wouldn’t be here.”

That got Time to smile, or at least grin ever so slightly. They ate the rest of their meal in companionable silence, listening to the chatter of the other heroes.

━━━O━━━

Malon went into labor a week after they arrived. Twilight volunteered to help deliver the baby, since the nurses were unable to get to the ranch because of a snow storm. He enlisted the help of Hyrule, their resident healer, and Four, the second most level-headed person in the group. The rest, includingTime, were forced to sit in the living room while Wild cooked, sitting in anxious silence that was occasionally broken by an unusually loud scream. After what seemed like hours, Four walked out of the room, beaming.

“Want to see your kid?” he asked Time. He nodded and was led into the room, where he nearly stumbled over and had to be caught by Warriors who was just behind him. Malon lied on the ground, covered in sweat, with a weak smile on her face. Twilight was helping her support the bundle in her arms while Hyrule healed her. Her attention shifted to Time briefly before switching back to the blankets.

“Your Princess has been waiting for you, fairy boy. Don’t keep her for too long,” she laughed lightly. Twilight had a warm smile spread across his face as Time knelt at his wife’s side, she placed the baby in his arms, and he held her carefully.

Her eyes were the same soothing blue as her father’s, reminiscent of a summer sky. Her hair was was a strawberry blonde, fading to red at the ends. Her cheeks and nose was pink, and her tiny pointy ears peeked out of the blankets. She was perfect, and Time blinked back tears at the sight of his daughter.

“Can I take her?” He asked in a whisper, scared his voice would break Malon. She exhaled, both frustrated at his coddling and tired.

“Go ahead. Your her father, no need to ask permission.” He nodded and stood slowly, keeping the child tight to his chest. Twilight watched them leave before turning to Malon. She waved her hand at him and turned her head away to avoid any objections.

“I know, go follow him if you want. Make sure he doesn’t decide to keep her away from me forever.” He huffed playfully before getting up and following.

Time made his way to the tower at the opposite end of the ranch and sat at the top level, sitting by the window with his daughter in his arms. Twilight transformed, not wanting to deal with the cold nipping at his skin, and followed his mentor up the stairs, making sure to stay extra quiet. He stopped at the last step and watched on with fondness as Time hummed Epona’s song to his daughter. He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before wiping a tear from his cheek. The two of them looked out the window at the descending sun, sharing their first sunset together.

Twilight turned back and began walking down the steps. He already knew Time would be the best father. He just needed to wait for him to figure it out too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s the chapter. And yes I did not give Time’s daughter a name because I couldn’t come up with a good one, so any suggestions are welcomed. Hope everyone’s Veterans Day has been great and see you in the next chapter!


	3. Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter that warrants the Teen and Up rating  
> Warning for mentions of war, death (especially child death), violence and injury

Twilight parried the incoming swing with ease, stepping into monster and stabbing through the it’s stomach. The Zora still did not collapse, so he pulled the sword out of its abdomen and sliced hard across its face, killing it instantly. He turned and met the spear of a Moblin, and engaging the larger monster in combat. After slaying it, he bent over to catch his breath and observe the battle.

Four and Time were tag teaming an abnormally large moblin, while Hyrule and Wind fought two zora and a few octoroks. Wild was shooting down incoming enemies from behind Hyrule’s cover, while Legend, Sky, and Warriors worked together to fight a Geru, which had nearly decapitated Legend. 

A shout from Hyrule forced Twilight’s attention to lock onto the the traveler, who was holding an unconscious Wind in his arms as the Zoras jumped forward to attack. Twilight yelled and lunged forward, but he knew he wouldn’t make it in time. Instead, he watched as Wild jumped in front of the two and blocked both attacks completely shattering his shield and breaking his arm. He ignored the pain and shot bomb arrows into both of the monsters’ open mouths, exploding them from within. He keeled over in pain and Twilight ran to his side.

“Hey Twi,” he tried to grin, but it was replaced by a grimace.

“Don’t move, your arms broken pretty badly.” Twilight looked at where the bones were bent horribly out of place and forced himself not to turn away. “Hyrule will help ya in just a minute, ok?” 

He nodded and closed his eyes, but his breathing proved he was still conscious. Twilight took deep breaths to calm himself as he heard Warriors’s loud footsteps quickly approaching.

“What happened?” He breathed. His eyes were filled to the brim with panic.

“They’ll be fine. Wind got knocked out and Wild protected them both. He broke his arm, but it’s nothing to serious,” Twilight responded. The panic faded into guilt as Warriors hands shook.

“I should’ve been here. Why did I let them fight two Zora on their own? I should’ve known. I should’ve been here,” he mumbled to himself.

“It’s not your fault, Warriors, and they’ll be alright. Let’s just get them to camp first.” Warriors nodded. Time walked over when the fighting had died down and observed the the two injured boys.

“I saw a clearing not to far away. Twilight and Warriors, carry them. The rest of us will set up while Hyrule and Legend tend to them. Let’s go.”

━━━O━━━

Twilight took first watch, as was customary. He sat in a tree, watching over the camp while keeping his ears peeled for danger. He would’ve transformed, since his senses are far better as a wolf, but he was worried either Wind or Wild would wake up and need help. He watched the fire crackle and the light dance across the two heroes sleeping faces. The heavy footsteps of Warriors alerted him to the captain’s movement. He was never one for stealth.

He watched Warriors walk carefully in between Wind and Wild’s bed rolls. He checked on Wild first, grimacing at his arm and placing a hand on his forehead, before turning his attention to Wind. He sighed as he placed a hand on his chest, seeming to make sure he was still breathing. His gaze flicked over to Hyrule, who was sleeping not to far away, exhausted from hours of healing. Warriors unwrapped his scarf and placed it in Hyrule’s sleeping hands. The younger hero clutched it hard and his breathing softened, finding comfort in the piece of cloth. A sad frown spread across Warriors features as he watched the three. He stood and and walked over to the fire, staring at it .

Twilight jumped gently from the tree and quietly made his way to the seat across from Warriors. The captain did not acknowledge his presence at first, keeping his focus, but eventually relented when Twilight caught his eyes lock onto his. Twilight gave him a cheeky wave which Warriors rolled his eyes at.

“How’s your watch going?” Twilight shrugged.

“The same as always. Looking for danger, comforting our emotionally scarred heroes, same old same old.”

Warriors scoffed and warmed his hands by the flames. “I’m not emotionally scarred.”

“That’s something someone emotionally scarred would say,” Twilight sang. Warriors shot him a glare before his features softened and he sat in silence, fiddling with his hands while trying to arrange his thoughts.

“Don’t expect me to start bawling on you alright?” Warriors warned, making Twilight raise an eyebrow before bowing his head slightly in understanding.

“I just feel... responsible for the younger ones, and what happened today was terrifying. Wind’s like a little brother to me and if anything were to happen to him....” Warriors drifted off, collecting himself and then continuing. “I know what your going to say, that I shouldn’t feel guilty because there’s nothing I could’ve done to stop them from getting hurt or becoming heroes, but I am. I have to feel guilty, because it lets me know I’m doing my job right.”

Twilight furrowed his brows in confusion and frowned. “I don’t understand.” He crossed his arms as he waited for Warriors to explain himself.

“I was 18 when I joined the army. I left the orphanage the morning of my birthday to sign up and started training the next day. I eventually became captain when I was 21, and I was so proud I couldn’t help but show off to the kids I’d grown up with.” Warriors smiled fondly at the memory before he shook it off his face. “I made an oath to protect the weak and innocent, and I promised those kids I’d be a hero.

“After the war, Hyrule got into a dispute with another kingdom, who was destroying villages at the boarder. I was sent with a decent sized force to Saria Town in the east and tasked with protecting them from the invading army. But we got their too late.”

Twilight sat a little straighter and more alert at the last sentence. He’d seen how the captain tossed and turned most nights, mumbling things under his breath to people long gone. The bags under Warriors eyes seemed far more pronounced than before, cast in a bright red light on the other side of the fire.

“They weren’t given a warning, since our reports showed the enemy was still at least a week away. Turned out the scouts were traitors and were feeding us false information,” he said bitterly. “So everyone in the village went about life as usual. When we got there, the place was eerily alive. You never see that with these towns. Their almost always on edge in case of an attack or an order to evacuate, especially in a Hyrule as war torn as mine. But it’d been years since the war, and everyone felt safe.

“I walked through the town: the whole place was destroyed. I could still smell the food being sold by street vendors, the scent of the scattered flowers that were planted on the side of buildings. It was horrible, but that wasn’t the worst part. Of course, bodies were strewn about in the streets. Most of them looked like the were killed while they were trying to run away or caught completely off guard. Their bodies were still warm.”

Warriors stared intensely into the flames as he recounted his story, his tone becoming more stoney and report like as he went on. His fiddling had stopped and his tone was scarily even and calm. It made Twilight bounce his knee in anxiety.

“Then I got to the school,” Warriors said, stopping abruptly. His breathing got shaky and his brows closed together tightly. “It reminded me so much of the school I’d went to in Castle Town, it was a struggle to keep myself together. I entered the classroom and... th- they were all just, lying there. I didn’t know. They just looked like they were sleeping.” His voice hitched at the last word and he blinked hard and fast. Twilight wanted desperately to walk to his side and hug him, but he knew the captain didn’t react well to physical affection from anyone outside of Wind. He watched sadly as Warriors took deep breaths and swallowed until he was ready to finish.

“I never went back to the orphanage after that. I couldn’t. I couldn’t bear to see their faces and be reminded of those kids. Zelda gave me a month off, but I needed to be out there, doing something, anything. I requested that she put me back out there...” he trailed off in a conclusive tone that left Twilight confused.

“Then what?”

Warriors looked him in the eyes. “Then I met you guys.”

Twilight’s heart fell. “You didn’t have time...”

“I didn’t need time, I needed a job, something to do,” he scoffed, but the edge fell from his voice as he spoke. “I promised I’d be a hero, I swore to protect the weak and innocent, but I couldn’t help them. I can’t help anyone.” Warriors clenched his jaw and turned his head down. Twilight was finally sick of just listening.

“Warriors, you have helped them in more ways than most people can dream of, there’s no way you haven’t.”

Warriors shook his head. “It’s my fault that their hurt.”

Twilight looked at him sternly. “War, it’s not-“

“But it is!” Warriors nearly shouted. His voice was hot with anger. “It’s all my fucking fault! What the fuck have I ever done that no one else can do? What good is my damn title if I can’t even do what I swore to do? I can’t save one fucking village, or even protect these three kids, so what use am I? Everything I do, everything I try to do just ends up in failure, in more pain and death than before. I’m not a fucking hero, or a captain.”

Warriors’s head fell into his hands as his whole body shook with crushing guilt and rage. Twilight sprang from his seat and knelt beside Warriors, putting a hand on his knee and one on his back. He kept his hands steady and tried to offer some comfort to his friend, while trying to keep his own tears in check. The last thing they needed was two sobbing heroes.

“Where’s your scarf?” Warriors sat in silence before answering in a watery voice.

“I gave it to Hyrule.”

Twilight nodded. “And what were you doing before you sat down?”

“Checking on Wind and Wild.”

Twilight hummed in agreement. “And why were you doing that?”

Warriors raised his head and shot a confused look at Twilight. “Because they’re injured and it’s my fault?”

“No, that’s not it,” Twilight said with a huff. “And it’s not because it’s your job either. If that were the case, then you’d be back in bed, scarf wrapped neatly around your neck. This,” he gestured to the three then back to Warriors, “is what captains do. It’s not just about strategies or battles or getting your kill count up or saving villages. It’s about these moments.”

Warriors shook his head. “I didn’t do anything. They still have nightmares kids shouldn’t be having. They’re covered in scars kids shouldn’t have and live in worlds kids should never have to live in. And I still can’t help them.”

“Ok maybe you can’t heal them or always take an arrow for them or talk out their issues with them. But you can do this. You can do what Warriors does, what a captain does, and it’s just as important as the other things.” Twilight sighed deeply and pulled away, turning his attention to the three sleeping boys. “You can’t change the past, which is the only way you could stop the nightmares or the horrors of their worlds, but you can affect the present. They need you captain. We all do.”

A sniffle from his side caught his attention and Twilight turned to see Warriors covering his eyes with his hand and bit his lip. Twilight put a hand back on his back in support before Warriors sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He shot a halfhearted glare at his friend.

“I’m not crying.”

“Oh, of course your not, I just like putting my hand on your back when you get allergies,” Twilight joked, making Warriors roll his eyes.

“Thanks, Twi.”

Twilight stretched. “That’s what I’m here for.”

━━━O━━━

Twilight walked by Time’s side at the front of the group in friendly silence, listening to the sounds of conversation from the others behind them. Wild’s arm was mostly recovered, but Hyrule forced him to wear a splint to prevent him from moving it, knowing he was prone to self-destructive activities. Twilight made a note to talk to him about it later. Wind’s voice was especially loud that morning, and Twilight couldn’t help but listen.

“Captain! Here, look what I made you!” Twilight fell back to see what he’d given Warriors. It was a poorly carved wooden statue of something Twilight couldn’t make out.

“What is it?” Warriors asked cautiously, not wanting to hurt his feelings. The sailor only beamed brighter.

“It’s me and you! I had Sky teach me how to carve so I could make you something. I know you don’t like hearing this but...” he stood on the tips of his toes and leaned in close to Warriors’s ear. He whispered low, but Twilight’s keen hearing could still pick it up.

“Thanks for taking care of me!” 

Warriors cocked his head to the side. “When did i do that?”

“Oh I don’t know, maybe when you walked to my side the other night to make sure I was still breathing,” Wind said mischievously, turning the captain red.

“I thought you were still knocked out.”

Wind closed his eyes and stuck out his arms dramatically. “I see everything, dear hero. I was blessed by the goddess with divine sight.”

Warriors shook his head playfully and grinned at Wind as he pulled him into a hug against his side. Twilight watched with joy as the captain and his sailor laughed together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out waaaaay longer than the last two, which is surprising because it used to be one of the shorter ones. But I’m really pleased with how it came out, and I know I really put Warriors through a lot in this one. The next two won’t have as many warnings but still be prepared for sadness :( See you next time!


	4. Birthdays

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy early 29th and 22nd anniversary to A Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time!

“Hey, Time, how old are you really?” Four asked. Time shrugged and put down his cup of milk. 

“Depends if we’re talking mental age or physical. Mentally? Can’t say. Physically?” He paused for dramatic effect before continuing. “Confidential.”

“Aw, come on old man, just tell us,” Warriors said, making a pouty face. “The shorty and I just want to know who should be the real second in command.”

“At least I can keep the troublemakers in check,” the smith growled.

“The captain can’t keep anything in check, not even his own hair,” Wind laughed. Warriors rolled his eyes.

“Oh please, your voice still cracks sailor. You haven’t even grown chest hair.” Wind turned scarlet.

“Yes I have!” The room burst into laughter at the sailors embarrassed response, with even Time hiding his amusement behind his hand. The only one who didn’t laugh was Legend, who was kicking around a pebble in the corner. Warriors noticed and decided to prod a sleeping beast.

“What about you, vet? You think your old enough to take command?”

Legend shot him a glare. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Oh come on, Legend. We’re just playing around. Even you must be old enough, despite your stature.” 

“I’m not talking about it, so stop asking,” Legend said dangerously, venom dripping from his voice. He left the bar, slamming the door shut on his way out. The other patrons were startled by his sudden outburst. Time sighed and turned to Twilight.

“Please?” He asked, the question already being known. Twilight nodded and followed him out of the bar. 

Legend was squatting behind the building, picking at grass and rolling it between his fingers before tossing it and repeating. His face was hard as he mumbled to himself. Twilight stood in front of him, blocking the sun. Legend didn’t look at him.

“What do you want?” He snapped.

“Let’s take a walk.”

Legend scoffed. “I know Time sent you out here to give me one your talks. I’d prefer to be alone, though.” 

“I won’t give you my ‘talk’ if you really don’t want it, but I’m not leaving you alone to wallow in self pity. So, want to walk or sit here?”

He thought for a moment before standing and walking besides Twilight through the relatively empty town. They passed by some shops and Twilight bought a set of earrings he thought Wild might like and a sewing kit for Warriors. Legend looked over some leather-bound journals and seemed to be having trouble deciding between a dark green one or another with gold lettering and a brown cover.

“I think the green one is better,” Twilight said. Legend rolled his eyes, but bought the one he suggested. They left the shop with their things and decided to take a short walk through the woods. Legend took great interest in the fauna, probably trying to avoid a conversation. The silence became unbearable after a few minutes and he finally caved in.

“Have you ever thought about what your going to do with the rest of your life?” He asked Twilight, keeping his focus on the leaves of a nearby bush. Twilight was a bit taken aback by the odd question.

“Well, Yes of course. I mean, I’m only 21, so I don’t consider it to often, but every time my birthday comes around, I consider it.” Legend nodded.

“I used to never think about it. Not before my first adventure. Every birthday was the same, just one more year until I could get something or be old enough to do something.” He plucked a leaf from a bush and let the wind carry it away. “I was 14 when I set out for the first time. That’s when I started getting worried about growing up. I wasn’t scared about becoming an adult, but I was more afraid of not becoming one.”

“You didn’t think you’d live till now?” Twilight asked, though he knew the answer.

“Yea. Everyday was just another miracle or divine intervention from the goddess, just to push me further toward the goal I was created to do. The start of every adventure was the same: the same fear, excitement, pain, and eventual despair at having completed it. I’ve gone on so many, I’m not even sure if I’ll ever have the chance to do anything else.” Twilight saw the glitter of tears in his eyes just before he turned his head away.

“I felt the same way once,” he said thoughtfully. “I haven’t been on nearly as many adventures as you or any of the others, but when I finished saving Hyrule, I just felt empty. Nothing was enough to fill the hole left behind from the adventure. I was drained physically and emotionally, and there were so many times I’d thought I’d die that when I was taken out of those situations, I barely knew how to live like a normal person.

“And it wasn’t easy, getting through it. Most nights, I didn’t sleep because of the nightmares or the fear that something was after me, and I’d be so tired in the morning that I didn’t want to move. I was done with everything, until I found something to dedicate myself to. First, it was doing tasks for Zelda around the kingdom, then it was helping my village and my friends. Now, it’s taking care of you guys and having talks like this.”

Legend bit his lip. “I’ve tried to have a life, believe me I have, but every time I tried, the goddess sends me on another damned mission that consumes my life for a year or two before I’m spat back out to the normal world. I feel like my whole life, everything I’ve ever devoted myself to has been in service of Hylia’s grander scheme.”

“But you have found something beyond just fighting,” Twilight stated. “Whatever the goddess wanted you to do on this adventure, it doesn’t matter. It’s just background noise to everything else. I’ve seen the way you look after Hyrule and the rest of the troublemakers, the way you bicker nonstop with Warriors like your his brother because you care about his safety. You may want to deny it, but you know what you want to do, whether it was predestined or not. And it’s something you clearly love, or you wouldn’t be still here.”

Legend closed his eyes tightly and rocked slightly on his heels. “But how do I know this is real?” He whispered. “I’ve had something before, and I thought it was mine. I’d thought I’d found a life I was happy to live. But it was gone as soon as it came and I don’t want to loose everything again, not with you guys...” 

Twilight kept his eyes straight ahead, not daring to turn and see the heartbroken expression on his friends face. He knew what he meant and it was a fear Twilight was sure everyone else in the group had. Their adventure wouldn’t last forever, and things would never be the same when they went back.

“What’s important,” Twilight said, taking a moment to think before continuing, “is that you live for now. If your always worrying about the future or caught in the past, then you’ll never escape the cycle Hylia tries to force you into. Just focus on making the most out of what’s in front of you and finding your reason to wake up in the morning, because that’s something not even the goddess can control.”

Legend’s hands trembled as he pulled another leaf, this time turning it over carefully in his hand, tracing ever line with his finger. They continued on their walk without speaking and Twilight was left to wonder if he’d said the right thing. The duo entered the bar, making their way back to their respective seats. Twilight kept his ears peeled and focused on Legend. He watched as the veteran sat beside Hyrule, huffing as he did.

“Welcome back! You guys sure took your time. I was getting worried about you,” Hyrule said quickly, his anxiety fading with every word.

“Yea sorry we were taking a walk.”

Hyrule shrugged. “No big deal, as long as your back.” He smiled before he lowered his voice a bit. “Did Twilight give you one of his talks?”

“No, we went shopping and took a walk through the woods, that’s all,” Legend scoffed. He reached into his bag and pulled out the wrapped journal, handing it to Hyrule. “I got that for you in town. I know the last one you bought got burnt, so I thought you could use a new one.”

Hyrule carefully unwrapped and turned the book over in his hands, admiring the dyed green leather and flipped through the pages. He set it down on the table and took a deep breath. Legend grew anxious in the silence and decided to speak.

“It’s alright if you don’t like it, we can get you another one. I couldn’t decide between this one of a brown one, but this one was-“ his rambling was cut off by Hyrule flinging his arms around him and dragging Legend into a hug. The veteran didn’t push back, despite his grumbling. When he pulled away, he shot the older hero a bright smile.

“It’s perfect, thanks Leg. But shouldn’t I be getting you a gift? Your birthday is coming up soon anyway.”

Legend looked shocked. “You remembered?”

“Of course I do! What type of friend would I be if I didn’t?”

Legend bit his lip and turned away. “Yea, whatever you want. I just saw the journal and picked it up. It was super cheap anyway. Like 5 rupees, tops.”

Hyrule rolled his eyes and lightly pushed Legend to the side. Twilight saw the ghost of a smile flicker across his face as he bantered with Hyrule.

“What’d you say to him to make him so happy?” Warriors asked sitting to the right, watching the duo. Twilight shrugged.

“We just talked about our birthdays.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I rewrote this like 5 times because I originally had them talking about their girlfriends (Marin and Midna) But I feel like there’s a hundred other works discussing the same topic way better than I ever could, so I chose something else.  
> We’re starting to wrap this up, and the next chapter is inspired by a song, but I won’t say which one until I post it. Most of works are inspired by it actually, so you’ll see when we get there.  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time!


	5. Nights

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter is named after the song “Nights” by Frank Ocean

Twilight stared tiredly at his plate as he played with his food. He pushed around the carrots and meat Wild had prepared so delicately just a few minutes ago, the steam rising deliciously from his plate. But Twilight wasn’t hungry in the least bit: he just felt so achingly tired it hurt his head just to keep his eyes opened. He put down the plate as crawled over to his bedroll to try and sleep.

“Twi, you alright?” A voice— Wild— asked him. He couldn’t open his eyes, but he nodded to try and dispel some of the worry from his protege’s tone. He knew it wouldn’t work, but he didn’t have the energy to actually come up with a believable lie.

“Um, ok, I’ll be up if you need anything then.” Footsteps crunched the leaves as he stepped away to let Twilight sleep. 

Even with his intense exhaustion, everything seemed to do an incredible job at keeping him awake. Every voice, mumble, snap of a twig, the flickering of sunlight from between the leaves— Twilight could sense everything. He cursed his unnaturally keen senses and just lied in the darkness his closed eyelids created.

He spent hours in that position, trying to will himself to sleep, when a particularly loud sound caught his attention. He sat up straight and focused on the noise, pushing aside the pain that filled his head as he did. Twilight tried to focus his sight, but it was filled with stars, so he had no choice but to get up and check physically.

He walked into the clearing in front of the spring, which was still lit with the fading sunlight of the setting sun. He watched as dusk turned to twilight and eventually fell away to night, inhaling the somber air deeply. It was quiet before the silence was broken by a sharp giggle from behind a bush, which Twilight investigated cautiously.

“Oh hey Twi,” Four greeted casually, munching on a meat skewer. Legend and Wild looked at him and waved.

“Wanna join us? Hyrule just went back to get some snacks, so there’s a spot available” Wild said with a bright smile, patting the spot to his side. Twilight considered just going back to camp and trying to sleep, but figured he wouldn’t be able to rest anyway. He hobbled over and sat down heavily by Wild’s side, pain building gradually behind his eyes.

“Anyway, I’d definitely beat Time in a fight. I have way more weapons and experience than him,” Legend bragged, holding his skewer up like a sword.

“Not sure about the experience thing, but you’ve got all of us beat in terms of the sheer amount of items. But I think he’s got a more powerful arsenal overall,” Wild articulated, sounding rather professional in his argument. Legend and Four apparently thought the same as they stared at him in shock.

“Wow Wild, that’s the first sentence I’ve heard you use big words in a sentence,” Four remarked, impressed. 

Legend wiped a fake tear from his eye. “Our wild child is growing up. He’s going to leave the nest soon.”

Twilight watched as Wild rolled his eyes and playfully tackled Legend, initiating a wrestling march between the two while Four cheered on whoever was winning. Twilight wanted to participate, to do anything but sit and do nothing, but he couldn’t find the energy to do so. So he just watched as the three had fun. Wild dusted himself off after declaring himself winner and noticed Twilight’s look.

“Hey, what’s up?” He asked delicately.

“Nothing I’m fine.” Twilight produced his best fake smile, but it was obviously insufficient based on Wild’s sour expression. Twilight stood and turned to leave, not wanting to ruin their fun with his bad mood and pain. He just felt like total shit and he wasn’t sure why.

As he walked through what he thought was the path back to camp, he suddenly felt dizzy and lost his footing, falling face first into the ground. The dirt felt cool against his face and he didn’t want to move. Twilight didn’t want to go back into camp feeling down and make everyone else feel bad. Maybe it’d be best if he just stayed out here, relaxed in the woods for a bit, pull himself together and then...

“Hey, are you ok?” A sharp poke to his shoulder snapped Twilight out of his stupor. He sat up, or tried to but felt nauseous so he laid back down. A hand on his back rubbed gentle circles and radiated a strangely soothing warmth that seemed to flow through his body and heal his aches and pains. With some help, he sat up very slowly and leaned against a tree. The warmth moved to his chest and it became easier to breath. Twilight hadn’t even noticed it was hard to before. Hyrule looked at him with worry in his eyes.

“Feeling any better?” Twilight swallowed and nodded, trying to soothe his sore throat. “I’m glad, I was worried you’d gotten injured, but it just looks like you were sick.” He lowered his hand and put them on the ground in front of where he knelt besides Twilight.

“Thanks Rule,” Twilight said shakily, his throat still in pain.

“I’m just doing my job, but I, glad I could help.“ Hyrule looked through the pouch on his waist, shuffling through his things in search of something. “You were gone for a while and I got really worried. Wild and I have been looking for you since you left the talk circle,” he stopped and looked at Twilight, his brows pinching in concern. “Why didn’t you come back to camp?”

Twilight blinked hard at the question. He knew it was coming, and he really didn’t want to answer. He still felt horrible, both inside and out, and he didn’t want to push his issues onto Hyrule. But he couldn’t lie: the traveler would easily pick it up, and Twilight wasn’t a very good liar. He pushed aside his anxieties and spoke.

“I didn’t want to make everyone feel bad because I do. I just don’t want to burden you all with my issues, since you’ve all got so much to worry about,” Twilight managed to choke out. Hyrule put a hand on top his and squeezed, encouraging him to keep speaking. 

“You all need someone to lean on, and I just can’t be that person if I’m acting like this. I’m sorry, I know I let you down.” He turned his head away and closed his eyes in a desperate attempt to keep back tears.

“Twilight, What are you feeling?” Hyrule asked simply.

“That’s the thing, I don’t know. I just don’t feel like doing anything. I’m in so much pain, but I don’t know if it’s my own doing or I’m just getting sick. And I’m so, so sad, I don’t know why, I hate feeling like this,” Twilight’s voice hitched at the final word and the tears came rolling out. He sobbed deeply into his hands, letting the emotions that’d been building over the past few months spill out. “I’m done with this. With everything. I don’t want to feel like this anymore.”

Hyrule kept his hand in motion on his back while he hummed a sweet tune. He pulled Twilight into an embrace, keeping it loose so he could have room to breath and cry. Hyrule didn’t speak or move the entire time, letting Twilight have as much time as he needed. When he finished crying and wiped away his tears, Hyrule met his gaze with a small smile.

“How are you now?”

Twilight looked at his hands. “Empty.”

“As you should be,” he said with a nod. “You needed that. You’ve been holding onto it for too long without having an outlet. It’s good that you let it all out now rather than later.”

Twilight was confused. “But why did I...?”

“You’re not a god, Twi. As much as you help others with their issues, you also need to focus on yourself and addressing your own problems. Bottling them up and then just piling more on top of it is only going to make the pressure build until it’s unbearable,” Hyrule said while pumping a bit of healing magic into Twilight’s body to calm his heart. “If you let it get so bad again, it’ll be a lot more difficult to recover from.”

“But I can’t be feeling like this. How can others trust the advice I give when I have breakdowns like this?”

Hyrule pouted in mock frustration that quickly melted into a sad smile and crossed his arms. “Twi, your not going to be the guru of therapy after a few talks and some introspection. What your giving is advice and only that. No one’s issues are resolved after just one conversation, and neither are yours. Having moments of weakness like this are ok and well deserved, especially for a hero like you,” he added with a wink. Twilight’s lips threatened to turn up into a smile.

“What was that talk circle you were talking about?” Twilight asked Hyrule, suddenly curious as to the little meeting he’d stumble in on in his daze earlier.

“Oh it’s like a little talk therapy group. Wild noticed you’d been kind of out of it lately and Four suggested the idea. The others came by earlier when you were asleep and we chatted for a bit about some of our thoughts and feelings.” He stopped his healing for a moment and grinned at Twilight. “We were actually inspired by your little talks with some of us.”

Twilight felt pride swell in his chest, replacing the horrible, crushing weight that had weighed him down earlier. He had to admit, he felt a hell of a lot better since his outburst. 

“I’m glad I helped you all in some way.”

Hyrule hummed in agreement. “That’s the understatement of the century.”

━━━O━━━

Hyrule stumbled into camp, carrying the surprisingly heavy Twilight on his back. The only one awake was Time, who immediately helped him with the farmhand, setting the older hero down in his bedroll. Hyrule sat tiredly beside Time against a tree and smiled at the peaceful form of the sleeping hero.

“He’s going to be ok, he’s already doing a lot better,” Hyrule said quietly, not wanting to disturb the rest of the restful camp. Even Wild was sleeping, which was a rare sight.

“That’s good to here. He’s had a lot to deal with lately, so I’m glad someone could talk to him about his own health.” Time felt a pang of guilt as he remembered how he’d contributed to the problem just a month ago. The weight of Hyrule’s hand on top of his own dragged him out of his wallowing.

“We needed someone to lean on and so does he. As long as we all work together, no one has to be at fault for anything.” Time never thanked the goddess, but at that moment he couldn’t help but praise her for Hyrule’s help.

Hyrule leaned back. “He does things like this everyday?” He sighed. “Just helping one person is tough, but eight? I could never imagine.”

“Same here.”

“I’ve barely gotten any sleep at all and it’s almost morning,” Hyrule grumbled sleepily. Time looked at the lightening horizon and nodded in agreement.

“I think you can get a few hours in before we have to leave. I can let you-“ Time stopped as he saw Hyrule already dozing off, the weight of the night’s emotions sending the traveling hero into a deep, restful sleep. Time grinned. Everyone would finally sleep well, for once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that’s a wrap! This chapter went through so many rewrites. First it was from Wild’s perspective which didn’t make any sense, then I had Twi being comforted by Wild about his issues with Midna and stuff, but there’s already so many fics about Wild and Twilight or talking about Twilight’s girlfriend that I didn’t want to write the same thing everyone’s already read. So, I changed it to Hyrule comforting Twi and helping him through some emotional overload, and I think it worked out pretty good.  
> Also I know I neglected Four, Wind, and Wild, but they’re all getting their own thing. Check out Oneshots of the Wild if you want my Wild stuff and another oneshot is coming soon!  
> Big paragraph, I know. Anyway hope you enjoyed, and I’ll hopefully see you in the next series, which is coming next month :)


End file.
